THE UNEMPLOYED

Hokitika Guardian, 15 January 1932, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED

INCREASE BY 978. FIGURES FOR LAST WEEK. WELLINGTON, January 14; For the week ended Jailuary 11, the •unemployed oil the registei' totalled 4-5)539. This was an increase of 978 on the total for the Dominion at the end of the prevent# week. The aggregate is approximate as was the total of 45,524 registered for the week before Christmas. The latest figure includes 33,771 men who were employed part-time on relief work, leaving 11,768 men unplaced. HOSPITAL BOARDS PLIGHT. ABNORMAL CALLS FOR RELIEF. WELLINGTON, January 14. The serious plight of the Hospital Boards in the present time, owing to the abnormal drain on their resources caused by unemployment, was placed before the Prime Minister, Mr Forbes, and the Minister-in-charge of Unemployment, Mr Coates, and the Minister of Health, Mr Young, by a deputation representing the* Hospital Board’s Association of New Zealand. It was stated that the deficit for the year' for the three major Boards, Auckland, Wellington, and North Canterbury, was expected to total £IOB,OOO, and the opinion was expressed that unless financial assistance were given bv the Government the Board’s present operations could not continue.

The Minister of Health said that the Treasury had been recommended to make interim payments totalling £37,000 from the £75,000 that was allocated by the Government. It wae proposed to allocate the balance of £38,000 before the end of the financial year. Even with that sum, it would fall approximately £50,000 short of the actual requirements, and any further sum required would have to be a matter for consideration by the Government. The Minister said tliat the position had also developed that the demands to-day, on the Hospital Boards for relief had grown far beyond the anticipations of those who had orignally designed the Act. 'J Tie • Treasury had been recommended to make the following interim payments :

Auckland Hospital Board, £20.000; "Wellington Hospital Board, £10,000; North Canterbury Hospital Board, £4000; Waikato Hospital Board, £2300; Buller Hospital Board, £IOOO.

With the balance of £38,000 it is proposed to allocate before the end of the financial year. So far as the additional £50,000 is concerned, that was a matter for consideration by the Government. The question to be considered was dlie extent to which the Hospital Boards should he required to spend money in social relief in order that the Boards may he in a position to s>ike something like a. reliable estimate of their expenditure and liability early in it lie year.